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K-State to host BIF annual meeting and research symposium

Registration is now open for the popular beef cattle genetics event.

Released: April 26, 2016

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Registration is now open for the 2016 Beef Improvement Federation Annual Meeting and Research Symposium. Themed "Progress on the Prairie," this year's event will be June 14-17 in Manhattan, Kansas, and headquartered at the Hilton Garden Inn and Conference Center.

This year's BIF symposium features two and a half days of educational programming and a full day of tours. The first morning's general session — "Opportunities for the Beef Value Chain: Can we become more coordinated and more profitable?" — will feature Ted Schroeder and Glynn Tonsor, Kansas State University; John Stika, Certified Angus Beef; Brad Morgan, Performance Food Group; and Keith Belk, Colorado State University. The second day's general session, "Protecting producer profit for the future," will include David Lalman, Oklahoma State University; Chip Ramsay, Rex Ranch; Mark Enns, CSU; and Clay Mathis, King Ranch Institute for Ranch Management.

The afternoon breakout sessions will focus on a range of beef-production and genetic-improvement topics. The conference also features a Young Producer Symposium on Tuesday afternoon, designed to network and equip young cattle producers with essential knowledge as they grow their role in the business.

Each year the BIF symposium draws a large group of leading seedstock and commercial beef producers, academics and allied industry partners. The attendance list is a "who's who" of the beef value chain and offers great networking opportunities and conversations about the issues of the day. Program topics focus on how the beef industry can enhance value through genetic improvement across a range of attributes that affect the value chain.

For more about the Kansas State University Animal Sciences and Industry department, visit its website.

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K-State Research and Extension is a short name for the Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service, a program designed to generate and distribute useful knowledge for the well-being of Kansans. Supported by county, state, federal and private funds, the program has county Extension offices, experiment fields, area Extension offices and regional research centers statewide. Its headquarters is on the K-State campus in Manhattan.

Story by:Angie Stump Denton, communication coordinator, Kansas State University Department of Animal Sciences and Industry – 785-562-6197 or angiedenton@ksu.edu